WORLD indoor bowls champion Nicole Rogers was bowled over to win the Basingstoke Gazette Sports Personality of the Year award.

This capped a superb year for the Basingstoke bowler, which saw her win the under-25 world title in Glasgow.

This was after a very tense final against England teammate Chelsea Tomlin.

This completed a great rise in the sport for the 20-year-old, who took up the game at the age of eight at Loddon Vale Bowls Club where her parents played.

The start of 2018 saw her make her international debut when she represented England in the British Isle under-25 series.

Exeter University student Nicole said: “I can’t believe it and I must thank all the readers and bowlers who voted for me.”

Nicole said 2018 had been a remarkable year for her and she never though for one minute she would be crowned world champion.

He aim now is to break into the senior ranks and is hoping to qualify for the World Indoor Bowls Championship held at Potters which is screened live on BBC every year.

She added: “I am really close to getting there and that is certainly my aim.”

The 20-year-old has also not ruled out having a go at making the Commonwealth Games which is played outdoor, but she has only played outdoors for four years at Oakley so it would be a tall order for the next championships.

This weekend, Nicole will be playing for the senior England team at the Falcon Indoor Bowls Club, Chelmsford in the British Isles Championships and International Series.

Nicole beat off stiff competition from cricketer Josh Buckingham, who was captain of the Hook and Newnham Basics team which completed a double T20 success winning the Finch Group Guy Jewell Cup and Southern League T20 Cup, who came second.

Basingstoke Bison player/coach Ashley Tait, who in his first season in charge of the Herd, was third.